Servant Leaders Are Sexy

This is a post for the guys. And I know your attention span is as long as my pinky, so here it is in a nutshell: Servant leaders are sexy.

So I got your attention, huh? What is a servant leader, you ask? The Candid Pastor's Wife definition is:

Servant Leader: One who leads by serving

Not too difficult, is it? Oh, but it is. 

There is a fine line between servanthood and passivity, between leading and bullying. But that humble and firm example to follow - that is the sweet spot.

It is not easy being a pastor's wife, but one benefit is that my husband has this natural shepherding bent. He craves for people in his care (his family and his flock, if you will) to truly experience the life-changing reality of Jesus Christ. He has to be intentional in all of his relationships... but it's so much easier to be passive. No, actually, it's so much easier to appear intentional. To have several relationships building in the fire, but to then sit back and watch the puny flames instead of stoking the embers.

He knows this. He also knows that Satan loves this about him. And so he fights:

• To reject passivity
• To accept responsibility
• To lead courageously
• To expect the greater reward

And when he actively does this, I like it! I see him differently. I stop looking at him through my maternal, nagging, let's-steal-the-family-pants lenses and instead start to follow him as he follows Jesus. 

Let's take our lead from our servant-leader savior:

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.  Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
 Who, being in very nature God,
      did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
      taking the very nature of a servant,
      being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
      he humbled himself
      and became obedient to death—
         even death on a cross!  (Philippians 2:3-8, NIV)

What does Jesus's servant-leadership lead to? Verses 9-11 tell us the result is that God is glorified.

So guys, follow Jesus in this and lead your families well. You'll thank me.

Eh...gotta go. The hubby will be home soon. =D

Heavenly Father, I'm so amazed by you. I'm in awe of your Son Jesus who is our ultimate example. Would you intervene in our broken culture that says men should not be men? Spirit, empower Godly men to be the leaders you intended them to be - in their homes, in the workplace, and at church. Thank you for my "friend for life" and how you teach him more about leading every day.